Be sure to pick up the free Svalbard - Spitsbergen pamphlet and the city map (available at the airport and most lodges), which has a detailed map of the city and listings of all its facilities.
Basic Information
Longyearbyen lies at the southern side of Adventfjorden, stretched out along the Longyearelva River.
Known as Longyear City until 1926, the town was established by and named after John Munro Longyear, whose Arctic Coal Company started coal mining operations in 1906.
The center of town lies near the coast on the east side of the river, with the district of Skjæringa across the river, the district of Nybyen 2 km (1.2 mile) to the south and the airport 3 km (1.9 mile) to the west.
Adventdalen, the valley housing Longyearbyen's only currently operational mine, stretches out to the east.